1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to aesthetic and mechanical decorations and modifications to vehicles and, in particular, to wheel spinners, spinner hubs and other similar assemblies that are used on or in connection with a tire of a vehicle for decorative and other purposes.
2. Description of Related Art
Vehicle modification and, in particular, car modification, is an ever increasing market that cuts across many age groups and demographics. For example, it is popular among many groups to modify and show his or her car in order to gain acclamation or increase respect among peers. In addition, many sports cars or racing cars are customized by their owners. These customizations include lighting on the runner rails, decorative paint jobs, racing stripes or other applications, decorative spinner nuts and wheel spinners or spinner hubs for placement over vehicle tires.
With respect to a wheel spinner assembly or spinner hub assembly, such assemblies are attached, typically centrally, to a vehicle tire and may spin either with the tire or independently from the tire. Typical wheel spinners include some base or frame that either covers the rim of the tire and rotates therewith or, alternatively, rotates independently of the tire. On this base or frame, decorations, slogans, words, etc., may be placed to either increase the aesthetic value of the car or to advertise or otherwise provide a message to other drivers. To the extent that the base or frame rotates independently of the tire or rim, the prior art also teaches or suggests placing a weight on an outer perimeter of the backside of the base or frame, which is typically a circular element, in order to correctly orient the base in a horizontal or vertical direction. Such assemblies are known in the art and may be found in one or more of the following patents: U.S. Pat. No. 6,554,370 to Fowlkes; U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,989 to Hsiao et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,588,715 to Harlen; U.S. Pat. No. 6,443,529 to Williams; U.S. Pat. No. 6,120,104 to Okamoto et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,542 to Boothe et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,342 to Rutterman et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,094 to Gragg; U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,944 to Schultz; U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,354 to Levy et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,537 to Miansian.
While such assemblies are known in the art, there is room for additional improvement in both the mechanical connection between the wheel spinner and the rim of the vehicle, as well as in the aesthetic and decorative natures and qualities of the assembly. As these assemblies are typically added to a vehicle not to improve performance, but to improve “the look” of the vehicle, there remains a need for further unique wheel spinners and spinner hub assemblies that are unique and allow the owner's vehicle to be set apart from the others.